H.H. Bennett studio, opened in 1875 in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
Summer People, 2018
20x16”
Summer People was a commission by the Museum of Wisconsin Art to create new work in Wisconsin Dells, a longtime popular tourist town in the state. Now known primarily as a destination for families seeking waterparks, the natural beauty of the landscape was the initial draw for tourists. The photographer H.H. Bennett’s stereoscopes, which he started shooting in 1868, were distributed widely, drawing visitors to the region from the Midwest and East Coast. In 1875, Bennett opened a daylight studio, which still exists today as part of a museum dedicated to his life and work.
I was granted access to work in Bennett’s original studio, creating portraits of tourists, local residents and members of the large international workforce that populate the area in the summer on J-1 visas.
The exhibition included newly commissioned work by Mark Brautigam and Tom Jones, and historic work by Bennett and others who worked in the region. A related book has been published by the University of Wisconsin Press.